Two women from Kerala murdered in California, Suresh Gopi assures help in bringing remains home
Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Monday said all necessary steps would be taken to bring back the mortal remains of two women from Kerala who were allegedly murdered in California, United States. The deceased have been identified by their relatives as Anjana, a native of Mudikkode in Thrissur, and Ann Mathew, a native of Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram.
According to their relatives, the two women were living in the same apartment in California along with their families. A third woman, identified as Anila, a native of Kottayam and described as a friend of the deceased, is currently in US police custody in connection with the incident.
Families receive news of Anjana’s death
Anjana’s relative Vinod told the media that her family in Thrissur initially received information on Saturday that she had met with a serious accident and had been admitted to hospital. The family later learnt that Anjana had died.
Vinod said Anjana had moved to the US in 2021 and was living there with her husband, Vijeesh, and their six-year-old daughter. He said Vijeesh remains in shock following the tragedy and is struggling to come to terms with the loss while caring for their daughter. The families knew Ann through video calls, but did not personally know Anila, Vinod said. He added that the three women were working in different jobs.
Relative alleges separate attacks on the two women
According to information received by the families from people in the US, Anila allegedly stabbed Ann inside their apartment and later rammed a car into Anjana. The circumstances surrounding the deaths and the exact sequence of events are part of the investigation. The motive has not yet been established.
Vinod said Vijeesh was yet to provide complete information as he was still trying to recover from the shock of the incident.
Deaths officially confirmed as homicides
Minister Suresh Gopi said the deaths had been officially confirmed as homicides. However, he said details regarding the motive and the investigation would become clearer only after formal reports are received from US authorities. The minister said he spoke to the Consul General at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, which has jurisdiction over California, at around 7:25 am on Monday.
According to the minister, instructions have been issued to the funeral homes handling the case to complete the required documentation for sending the mortal remains back to India.
Mortal remains may be retained for investigation
Gopi said it was not yet clear when the mortal remains would be handed over to the relatives in the US. He explained that US authorities could retain the remains for further investigation and other formalities.
“I am expecting an update from the Consulate later this day. Only after that will we know when the mortal remains can be brought or dispatched from there,” he said. The minister said the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and NORKA would receive formal investigative reports from the US authorities.
Further details about the incident, including the motive and circumstances leading to the deaths, are awaited. Meanwhile, Indian authorities are coordinating with the Consulate and US officials to facilitate the repatriation of the women’s remains to Kerala.
(With inputs from PTI)
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